Rosendale and Lang Make Case at FES in Glasgow

Candidate for Montana State Auditor Matt Rosendale, and Candidate for Montana Senate District 17 Mike Lang met with potential voters at Farm Equipment Sales in Glasgow on Sept 1.

FES' General Manager, Sarah Partridge, said, while introducing the candidates, "All too often the decisions that influence us here in Glasgow are not well represented. We don't have very many friends in Helena. So I'm always very appreciative, especially when a statewide candidate will come to Glasgow and listen to us."

Rosendale laid out his objective in running for State Auditor stating, "I'm one of your people. I understand the agricultural industry." He added that Montana is, "second highest in auto insurance rates and tenth highest in workers' compensation insurance," claiming that the rates, "hit businesses, hit workers and they hit us really really hard." In addition to auto and workers' compensation insurance, Rosendale talked about health insurance and perceived failures in the Affordable Care Act. He also discussed his views on securities and investments that he believes are "between you and your financial consultant," when discussing the State Auditor's role in overseeing those markets.

Rosendale also laid out his vision for the Auditor's role on the State Land Board, and its use in funding education through the use of State Trust Lands. Rosendale claimed, "The problem that we've run into is the folks that have been serving on the land board don't have any background in land management." Rosendale argued that he could manage those lands in a way that would generate the revenue necessary for the schools without the need to "backfill" the need with taxpayer money.

Lang also laid out his intent for running with a message of getting people involved locally in politics. He stated in his speech "We are a little bit of a society that says 'do it for me'... I want to get people excited... the more we're involved the better off we're going to be." Lang also focused on his views on agriculture, business and labor, and energy, reinforcing his support and dedication to those areas. On energy Lang specifically talked coal and his view that Montana needs coal revenue while passively blaming the Governor's lack of support for the coal industry.